Send a Cow: African-designed solutions for rural communities

Send a Cow: African-designed solutions for rural communities

A charity born because UK farmers were forced to slaughter healthy dairy cows, is now in its fourth decade of operation.

In 1988, many UK dairy farmers were outraged by strict EU milk quotas which forced them to throw away good quality milk and even slaughter their herds. At the same time, families in Uganda were recovering from the country’s brutal civil war which had destroyed farm land and livestock.

A small group of Christian dairy farmers from the west country decided to donate some of their own dairy cows to rural families in Uganda. Send a Cow was born.

The charity continued to send livestock from the UK to Uganda until 1996 when the BSE crisis took hold. Since then, all livestock has been sourced from within Africa. 

The charity works in six countries and provides a proven package of support and training in farming, hygiene, business skills and gender equality. More than two thirds of the people supported are women.

‘Every day, families face poverty that is extreme, cruel and worst of all unnecessary,’ said Ann Hatton, Send a Cow’s church development manager.

‘But rural Africa is rich with opportunity and where there is land, there is hope.

We don’t impose solutions, instead we focus on helping people grow them from within. Our African-designed solutions are developed with and for rural communities.’

Through taking part in Send a Cow’s projects, families receive the skills and confidence they need to get the most from their land, so they can grow enough food, earn a living and go after their dreams.

‘The charity now does much more than provide cows,’ said Ann. ‘We work with rural communities to make the most of their most precious resource – the soil beneath their feet – and create lasting self-belief.’

• Send a Cow are on stand C24 at CRE Midlands 2020

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